Airship.



J. H. SGHROBDER.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Inventor Witnsses Attorneys nation and arrangement of parts and in JOHN HENRY SCHROEDEB, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

AIRSHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914'.

Application filed June 9, 1914. Serial No. 844,042.-

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J HN H. Sonaonnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Airship, of which the following is a specification. w

This invention relates to air ships of the dirigible balloon type, one of its objects being to provide a gas container which, when collapsed from any cause, serves the purposes of a parachute to retard the descent of the air ship.

A further object is to provide improved means for holding the container extended while collapsed and for holding it in shape and preventing it from buckling while in use as a container.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combithe -construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred -form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation, of the gas container and the frame to which it is connected, a portion of the container being broken away. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the container being broken away. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one end portion of the container. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line A-B Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a rectangular frame referably made of metal tubing and having suitable hangers 2 connected by cross members 3 and longitudinal members 4 whereby a rigid structure is provided for holding the container and for supporting a car.

The gas container has been indicated generally at 5 and is made of silk or any other suitable fabric. This container is secured along its sides and ends to the frame 1, the bottom of the container being bulged down- Wardlv as shown at 6, when the container is filled with gas. The top of the container details of has its center rounded and its sides diverg-' ing downwardly, to the sides of the frame 1, while the ends of the top are inclined downwardly as shown at 7. In order that the container may be kept in shape, parallel partitions 8 are extended throughout the length of the container, these partitions be ing made of the same material as the container and being provided at intervals with openings 9 so that gas is free to circulate through the partitions and lill all parts of the container. The container is preferably attached to the frame 1 by wrapping the edge portions of the container about the frame and securing them in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts 10 or the like.

It will be apparent that, when the container is filled with gas, the air ship can be controlled in flight in the same manner as an ordinary dirigible balloon and is advantageous as compared with the ordinary balloons in that the container is prevented from buckling by the frame 1. Furthermore should the supply of gas give out or should the container collapse from any other cause, the lower portion of said container would be pushed upwardly as at 11 and act as a parachute and retard the descent of the machine, this being due to the fact that the container is secured to the sides and ends of the frame 1.

Importance is attached to the fact that the frame extends entirely around the gas container and is secured to it so that buckling of the container is thus prevented. As the tendency of the container, while the machine is in flight, is to pull the sides of the frame '1 toward each other, the particular form of frame shown has been found especially advantageous for the purposes of holding the container in the shap desired.

\Vhat is claimed is v 1. An air ship including a gas container, a frame extending around and secured to the container, said container having its bottom normally bulged downwardly into the frame and adapted to bulge upwardly and act as a parachute, when the container is collapsed, and an apertured longitudinally extending flexible partition within the container.

2. The combination with a frame, of a gas container surrounded by the frame and having its edge portions wrapped about an. secured to the frame, the bottom of said container being bulged downwardly into the frame and adapted to bulge upwardly and act as a parachute, when the container is collapsed.

3. An air ship including a flexible gas container, a transversely braced frame ex tending therearound and secured to the bottom of the container, the bottom of the container being normally bulged downwardly into the frame and adapted, When the container is collapsed, to bulge upwardly to form a parachute.

In testimony that I claim t ze foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENRY SCHROEDER.

Witnesses:

J. P. HALLINAN, B. F. STALB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

